Other People's Pantries #52
From Mary (Quilting in Oz), in Pittburg, Kansas:
Couldn't resist digging out some pictures of the pantry I USED to have. At that time I had three sons still at home, and was living in the town where I grew up, surrounded by a large extended family and network of friends, any of whom were likely to drop by at any time, and I was always cooking.
While my kitchen wasn't all that big, I did have LOTS of cupboards and they were full of food. Also had 2 freezers in addition to the one in the refrigerator and they were always full. And a basement full of home canned goods. But I still needed more space so I could stockpile enough staples to be able to cook for those spur of the moment guests. When we moved a bathroom from right off the kitchen I converted that space to a pantry with floor to ceiling shelves. I know somewhere I have better pictures but can't find them now. These show just a portion of that space.
But there was a downside to having this much food always on hand.
About a year after this picture was taken I had a fire and lost pretty much everything. Living in a small town, the local grocery store owner volunteered to come up the next day and do an inventory of my food and then priced it all out for me for insurance purposes. How nice was that? But I was shocked to discover I had over $2,000 worth of food in my house, and this was in 1984 prices.
I've never stockpiled that much again... but then I also don't have kids at home anymore, don't live close to that big extended family and also don't have a pantry or lots of kitchen cupboards.
But boy, there was sure something comforting about looking at a stash like this. Now I have an equivalent stash of fabric for quilting... which is at least non-fattening.
On Saturdays, we peek into Other People's Pantries.
Come on -- show us your pantry.
*Other People's Pantries will be ending soon to make way for a new Saturday feature. However, we'll keep peeking in pantries as long as you keep sending your pantry photos. So, please send your photos as soon as possible.
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What an impressive-looking pantry.
Paz
I love your idea about lookin into other people's pantry. My husband built one for me when we moved into the Treehouse. It is not as big as I would like, but I love it just the same.
How neat. y pantry looks like they're having a party in there, though my stock-keeping's not bad!!
Gosh, I thought I had a lot of stuff. I wonder if it is freeing to not have so much stuff now.
It's a really impressive pantry and I bet people loved popping by with all that food on offer.
Amanda, in some ways you are right..but I have to admit I still miss having so many people to cook for. Wish I had taken pictures of the shelving to the left of these pics, not to mention all the food in the kitchen cupboards, back porch, freezers, etc.
Looks like a grocery store to me! Thanks for sharing.
Holy cow!
I like the idea of having well-stocked shelves and cupboards. Growing up, we had a freezer and a root-cellar. There was always enough to cook if unexpected visitors came by. Now, virtually no one stops by unannounced or invited.
I've begun a plan to restock my cupboard and take advantage of certain sales because running out of food essential just shopping week-to-week is no fun.
Mary Looking at your old pantry makes me feel warm and safe. There is something comforting about a well stocked pantry, somehow the world is just right.
I too worry about some calamity or another but then I think of the opportunity to fill up another pantry. The search for that prefect ingredient, the adventure of finding Teff flour or Spanish bittersweet paprika. Brings back such good memories.
Thanks to everyone for the comments. I have such good memories of those times in my life. Feeding others has always made me feel good. I miss those days when people seemed to visit more often.
Times change we change with them.
That was a grand pantry and perfect for the time in your life. Everything changed when I no longer needed to be able to 'entertain' (read that feed) one of my boys 20 some odd friends - gadfry teenagers eat!
Now I think that "an equivalent stash of fabric for quilting... which is at least non-fattening." is brilliant!